Oct. 1 (UPI) — From Beijing’s Tiananmen Square, President Xi Jinping told the nation Tuesday as it celebrated 70 years of Communist Party rule that nothing could stymie China’s progress.
In his speech commemorating the 70th anniversary of communist rule, Xi — wearing a suit that hearkened back to the party’s first ruler — called for unity while stating China is “committed to the strategy of peaceful reinforcement of one country, two systems,” a comment directed at ongoing unrest in Hong Kong, a semi-autonomous region within China, that functions under the framework of being part of the nation but enjoys certain freedoms the mainland does not have.
Xi said that China will maintain “long-term stability of Hong Kong and Macao” while developing relations with the two regions with the goal of “complete unification of the country.”
Hong Kong Activist Joshua Wong said on Twitter that the display was “no celebration, only demonstration.”
Following his speech, Xi conducted an inspection of the troops along Chang’an Avenue before presiding over a parade of 15,000 troops, 160 aircraft and 580 pieces of high-power weaponry, including intercontinental ballistic missiles.
China concluded the military segment of the parade with 16 rocket launchers transporting its newly unveiled Dongfeng 41 intercontinental strategic nuclear missile, the country’s most advanced and powerful deterrent, state-run Xinhua reported.
The parade comes amid challenges for Xi that include tension with the United States over trade and the arrest of Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou in Canada, who faces extradition to the United States to face a slew of conspiracy, fraud and sanction violation charges.